Virgin 17
| Country | France |
|---|---|
| Ownership | |
| Owner | Lagardère Active (sold to Bolloré in 2010) |
| History | |
| Launched | 17 October 2005 (as Europe 2 TV) |
| Closed | 1 September 2010 |
| Replaced by | Direct Star |
| Former names | iMCM (project in 2002) Europe 2 TV (2005–2007) |
| Availability | |
| Terrestrial | |
| Digital terrestrial television | Channel 17 |
Virgin 17 was a French music video and TV show television network owned by the MCM Group, a subsidiary of Lagardère Active. It was available through digital terrestrial television (DTT).
The channel was created for the launch of DTT and modeled after MCM, another channel owned by Lagardère Active. It initially had the working title "iMCM", but in 2004 it was named after the radio station Europe 2, and was then renamed Virgin 17 on 1 January 2008 (along with the radio station which became Virgin Radio France). From 1 September 2010, Virgin 17 changed its name to Direct Star. This change was intended by the Bolloré Group "for the sake of the uniform group" .
The TV channel had been broadcast free-to-air via satellite Hot Bird 8 (13°E) up to 2007-11-21. Now it's Viaccess encrypted and available to TPS subscribers as well as on Internet television.
Virgin 17 was replaced on 1 September 2010 by Direct Star.